A regional safety group has claimed random drug testing in the workplace can be invaluable for employers and provide assistance for those with an addiction, when conducted compassionately.

Drugs can most certainly be a hazard at workplaces and at home, with statistics showing more than ten per cent of workers who use illicit drugs have gone to work when under the influence, and more than one in twenty workers said that they had reported for work while under the influence of alcohol.

John Garrett, the chairman of the Albury Wodonga Safety, Health and Environment Committee says with come compassion and consideration drug use at work can be treated effectively, with positive outcomes for all. Random drug testing on the NSW/Victorian border is quite commonplace, especially in the transport industry, as employers seek to fulfil health and safety requirements.

There can be some downsides to random drug tests and the vilification of users, according to Dr Ken Pidd, deputy director at the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA). He says random drug testing should be matched with both education and training for workers, and that on its own random tests can “fuel the synthetic drug market as workers find new ways to avoid detection.”

Dr Pidd also expressed scepticism about whether random testing would actually help workers to stop using; instead saying it would encourage them to look for alternatives in synthetic drugs.

The National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction provides many resources for employers and employees looking to manage work-related drug use.